I have always had an interest in English cricket. Trouble is the Aussie sports channels never telecast it. I tell a lie.. they did show us a season of the T20 Blast. My interest lies mostly in the fact that county cricket often sports a sprinkling of Aussie talent. I have always been of the opinion that every first class Aussie cricketer should have at least one season in county or league cricket in the Old Dart

BoyCaught30 wrote:It's already kicked off with warm up matches in Dubai, not that anyone noticed.

I've just opened up another IHAG for the year. Same as last year.

Cook and co have been released by England for the opening matches.

One of my pet hates is that our best cricketers are rarely available for state or county cricket respectively. After all that was the stepping stone to Test cricket for them. International schedules are made to almost intentionally clash with state or county tournaments. At least in Australia that is the case. Can not speak for the UK. Our Test players would find red ball cricket far more beneficial as preparation for Test cricket. Seems these days ODI or white ball cricket is seen as ample test preparation. Playing red ball cricket is a no brainer..our cricket administrators just can not see that.

Last edited by baggygreenmania on Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

From a NZ perspective, I prefer all the international cricket and no MD Crowe playing almost all matches for Central Districts than 3 tests and 4 or 5 odi like NZ home summers used to be.

I miss the old odi tri series in Aus. Thats the one change I don't like. I'd rather watch a 50 over intl featuring foreign teams than the Renegades plays the Stars.

England is getting upto 7 home tests and 2 or more long pyjama series a home season now. I think central contracts are gone for them too.

With the intl calendars stacked, India played 13 home tests and pyjama series against NZ and Eng this season, there is going to be less fan interest in domestic cricket except t20 franchise models globally.

In NZ we only have t20 televised and the 50 over final; but we get all intls from Ind, Aus and Eng plus all ipl, bbl and some natwest blast games (and some 50 over games randomly).

"Your inclination to assume and contradict is typical of Narcissism which is nothing about being pretty like the Narcissus fable."

Sounds like a direct poaching of the Australian BBL concept. I would have notioned that the format could rival the BBL. IPL is a larger format with the emphasis on getting local young talent involved and paying test & ODI class players a king's ransom.

Sounds like a direct poaching of the Australian BBL concept. I would have notioned that the format could rival the BBL. IPL is a larger format with the emphasis on getting local young talent involved and paying test & ODI class players a king's ransom.

The conceptual difference between bbl and ipl is bbl is played during height of home summer meaning many internationals miss most if not all of the games (played in the evening to not clash with intls and tests or Perth different timezone); whereas ipl is played in India's international break (and weekend day games but with more day night tests BBL will look for more free weekend scheduling). Plenty of tv primetime cricket and cheerleader dancing in both.

City based franchise pro sports teams have been around for so long in soccer, basketball and US sports, there isn't much thats a novel concept to copy. BCCI (and ICC) harmed the original ICL concept creators and poached the idea if anyone has. Besides BBL turned 6 into 8 using same home ground bases for 6; England is turning 18 into 8.

The question we all have if the fans respond to the England city based teams, is not like the ipl and US sports where some cities lose their team and new cities gain to support a franchise, because this is almost inevitable, but whether county cricket follows suit to 8 or so (city based or regional) teams for FC and 50 over cricket.

With the PSL and BPL - what is SL doing with all its FC teams in terms of T20?

"Your inclination to assume and contradict is typical of Narcissism which is nothing about being pretty like the Narcissus fable."

We never seem to have Indians in the BBL Misty as it falls during Indian Test season. I am one who has decried not having India's best playing for an Aussie franchises. CA wil never change the schedule as the BBL is its cash cow. It helps pay players wages. It also means that our premier domestic red ball tournament the Sheffield Shield is split in two. This angers so many purist cricket lovers in my country.

Misty wrote:BBL? When was other than Australian playing in those 20/20?

Overseas players in this years BBLBadree, Bell, Billings, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Bresnsn, Broad, Jordan, Lumb, Brendan McCullum, Morgan, Munro, Narine, Thisara Perara, Pietersen, Pollard, Russell, Sangakarra, Sodhi, Willey, Wright.Some fairly useful players among that mob.The BBL is the 2nd richest T20 league in the world and that is because we can not match the huge TV audience the IPL has. The only country that can possibly displace the BBL from number 2 spot is England when they get their act together and organise a franchise team League of 8-10 teams.

baggygreenmania wrote:We never seem to have Indians in the BBL Misty as it falls during Indian Test season. I am one who has decried not having India's best playing for an Aussie franchises. CA wil never change the schedule as the BBL is its cash cow. It helps pay players wages. It also means that our premier domestic red ball tournament the Sheffield Shield is split in two. This angers so many purist cricket lovers in my country.

BBL salary cap does not attract intl quality Indian players as much as it can buy Safricans, Lankans, West Indians, Poms (off season), Kiwis, Bangladeshi, or even Pakistanians. Its the height of the season for NZ and Safrica - but better money than scheduled domestic comps in WI, NZ and SA. PSL, CPL doesnt clash as later. Think BPL is later than BBL as well.

Last edited by Paddles on Fri Mar 31, 2017 12:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Your inclination to assume and contradict is typical of Narcissism which is nothing about being pretty like the Narcissus fable."

Misty wrote:BBL? When was other than Australian playing in those 20/20?

Overseas players in this years BBLBadree, Bell, Billings, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Bresnsn, Broad, Jordan, Lumb, Brendan McCullum, Morgan, Munro, Narine, Thisara Perara, Pietersen, Pollard, Russell, Sangakarra, Sodhi, Willey, Wright.Some fairly useful players among that mob.The BBL is the 2nd richest T20 league in the world and that is because we can not match the huge TV audience the IPL has. The only country that can possibly displace the BBL from number 2 spot is England when they get their act together and organise a franchise team League of 8-10 teams.

Is it richer than PSL and CPL in terms of salary or just tv revenue for the rights? I think PSL will increase in value with more games in Pakistan and could rival or surpass BBL. I suspect PSL may already outpay BBL salaries, for imports at least.

Interestingly, for those that follow icc growth and compare to different sports; the fear that the ICC big 3 have of taking cricket to china, rugby union is doing the complete opposite - albeit NZRFU is poor but influential and Aus is not influential whereas in ICC terms NZ and SA are just poor.

"Your inclination to assume and contradict is typical of Narcissism which is nothing about being pretty like the Narcissus fable."

baggygreenmania wrote:We never seem to have Indians in the BBL Misty as it falls during Indian Test season. I am one who has decried not having India's best playing for an Aussie franchises. CA wil never change the schedule as the BBL is its cash cow. It helps pay players wages. It also means that our premier domestic red ball tournament the Sheffield Shield is split in two. This angers so many purist cricket lovers in my country.

I think IPL more popular if more player from Srilanka /Pakistan and some other countries plays with more than 8 but no more than 12/14 teams.

Reading this morning that Aussie-born Sam Robson is gunning to get back his England opening spot. Sam played Premier Cricket for his beloved Sydney club Easts over the England winter and says he is fit for the upcoming County season. I had always hoped that Sam would change direction and return permanently to Aus and try to win a baggy green.

baggygreenmania wrote:Reading this morning that Aussie-born Sam Robson is gunning to get back his England opening spot. Sam played Premier Cricket for his beloved Sydney club Easts over the England winter and says he is fit for the upcoming County season. I had always hoped that Sam would change direction and return permanently to Aus and try to win a baggy green.

Sam Robson good but no where near selection for test match for England,plenty of others line up for England

baggygreenmania wrote:Reading this morning that Aussie-born Sam Robson is gunning to get back his England opening spot. Sam played Premier Cricket for his beloved Sydney club Easts over the England winter and says he is fit for the upcoming County season. I had always hoped that Sam would change direction and return permanently to Aus and try to win a baggy green.

Sam Robson good but no where near selection for test match for England,plenty of others line up for England

He said that he knows it will not be easy as there are several players now in front of him on the pecking order. He does however have that inexhaustible Aussie spirit to guide him.

Notice Mark Cosgrove is now a resident and not an overseas player. Has the reins at Leiscestshire as well. I will be following his progress with interest. As I will also be following Peter Handcomb at Yorkshire and Cameron Bancroft at Glousestershsire. Only two of Australia's young guns bothered to make the sacrifice and play a English County season. They both will be better for the experience.